Mayor Nat Shaffer, elected to the Town Council in April of 2002, served 8 years as a councilmember prior to being appointed mayor by then Governor Nikki Haley on Feb 02, 2011. He has been re-elected every 4 years since April 2012. Mayor Shaffer graduated from Wade Hampton High School in 1991, holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science with a concentration in Public Administration from Walden University, an Associate of Arts from the University of South Carolina and also attended Brigham Young University in Rexburg Idaho. He completed The Citadel undergraduate studies of appraising Real Estate and The South Eastern School of Auctioneering. Additionally, he has completed The SC Advanced Institute of Elected Officials and The South Carolina Economic Development Institute.

Mayor Shaffer has a very broad and diverse entrepreneurial background with experience in Real Estate, banking and retail industries. He has been self-employed the majority of his professional career, is a Real Estate appraiser by trade and has been a Real Estate practitioner since 1998.

Mayor Shaffer has served in a host of civic, charitable and fraternal originations. He is a board member and past chairman of the Lowcounrty Council of Governments, A board commissioner for the Lowcountry Regional Water Systems and serves on the Coastal Empire Mental Health Board. A former Rotarian, a Mason and Shriner. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and also attends the Varnville First Baptist Church with his family.

Mayor Shaffer was born and raised in Varnville. He is married to Becky Bates Shaffer, Special Education Coordinator at Lowcountry Montessori School in Port Royal, SC. They have 3 children; Parker, Banks and Elizabeth Nell. In their spare time, they enjoy traveling in their RV motor coach, and during the summer months, they camp at Hunting Island State Park and serve as volunteer host for the state park system.  

Councilman Henry Alexander Campbell graduated from Wade Hampton High School and worked for a decade at Carsonite International until a disability ended his tenure. He has spent several years serving on the Varnville Town Council, and remains actively involved in community service. His contributions include volunteering with the American Red Cross, leading as President of the Hampton County Municipal Association, and participating in organizations such as Antioch Masonic Lodge #91, the Hampton County Marketing & Tourism Advisory Board, and the School Improvement Council at Wade Hampton High School. Campbell’s top priorities for Varnville are promoting achievement, responsibility, and ethical conduct. He has been married to Tasha for 18 years, is the proud father of two daughters—Alexis and Tá-Sha—and belongs to the Samaritan Missionary Baptist Church.

With a strong background in education and public service, Councilman Ronald Williams brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the Varnville community. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Voorhees College and a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from Clark Atlanta University.

Professionally, he serves as an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Voorhees College and has previously taught Computer Technology at Denmark Technical College. His commitment to education and technology is reflected in his career and community involvement.

With several years of experience serving on the Varnville Town Council, he has a proven track record in local government. His extensive public service includes roles as a former board member for Hampton School District 1, the Voorhees College Board of Trustees Faculty Representative, and a member of the Denmark Technical College Advisory Committee. He is also active with the Conference of Black Municipal Elected Officials of South Carolina and the Municipal Association of South Carolina.

He has been recognized in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and is a proud member of several professional and civic organizations, including Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, the Voorhees College Alumni Association (serving as Hampton County President), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society, the Association for Computing Machinery, and the Antioch Masonic Lodge #91.

His key goals for Varnville include increasing accountability and transparency in town government, revitalizing downtown, upgrading water and sewer infrastructure, improving parks and recreation, enhancing town beautification, and implementing a comprehensive action plan to address public health, workforce productivity, juvenile crime, dropout prevention, and student achievement.

He is a dedicated member of Samaritan Baptist Church and continues to serve the residents of Varnville.

Mrs. Faye Gooding joined the town council in 2021. She graduated from Wade Hampton High School (1970), USC Salkehatchie with an Associate’s in Business Administration (1972), and later earned an Associate’s in Arts. She studied Business Law, Human Resources, and Health Education at the College of Charleston, and is certified in Retail and Store Management by the Friedman Group. Mrs. Gooding is also a 2025 graduate of the SC Institute of Elected Officials.

Mrs. Gooding retired in 2019 from Le Creuset, the world’s leading cookware brand, where she held several executive roles, most recently serving as CEO of Le Creuset North America. Under her guidance, the US launched its retail division and established subsidiaries in Canada and Mexico, both featuring retail operations. As CEO, she oversaw Le Creuset’s pioneering entry into ecommerce in the USA and Canada and helped expand the network to over a hundred retail stores across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Prior to her tenure at Le Creuset, Mrs. Gooding worked with the Low Country Area Health Consortium as Education Coordinator for SC Lowcountry Medical Professional Continuing Education Development and Administration for Medical Professionals.

Mrs. Gooding served on the Board of Directors of Hampton Regional Medical center for 6 years and as board Chair 1994-1996.  Faye was recognized as the Southern Carolina Alliance Regional Businessperson of the year in 1997 and again in 2010 and was recognized as Citizen of the Year 2022-2023 by the Rotary Club of Hampton County.  She also served as the county representative for the McKinney -Vento assistance program for displaced children and is a member of the Magnolia Garden Club.  Mrs. Gooding is currently on the board of The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry (CFL) and serves as chair of the CFL Regional Committee.  She is a member and pianist of Varnville Christian Church Disciples of Christ and led youth group for many years.

Faye has a heart for development of our socio economically challenged area, including the impact of nutrition on neurology/education, wellness and communities.  She was a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier and partnered with Share Our Strength during her tenure with Le Creuset and interacted with No Kid Hungry programs.

Mrs. Gooding was raised in rural, southern Hampton County, married Varnville native Dan Gooding in 1972 and moved to Charleston where they lived for more than two years before returning to their Hampton County roots.  The couple purchased their Varnville home in 1975 where they raised their three children Nicole, Sommer and Justin and where Mrs. Gooding still resides.  She enjoys time with her six grandchildren as well as reading, gardening, the ocean, and music.

Councilman Nicholas “Nick “ Ginn was elected to the Town Of Varnville Council in 2020 and brings 17 years of law enforcement experience. Raised in Varnville, he returned in 2013 after working in Colleton County and is dedicated to improving life for residents through active community engagement.

He holds a degree in Business from Liberty University and has professional experience in Management which informs his approach to Town governance.

On the Council, Nick focuses on issues such as sustainable development, public safety, and expanding community resources.

Outside of council duties enjoys photography, fishing, & spending time with family. He is honored to serve and looks forward to continuing to advocate for the needs of all residents.